Friday, March 15

Fifth Street Farms presents MUSAMUSA’s mission is to present historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical chamber music, showcasing talented young performers. Their programs present interesting and unusual themes, and this program is no exception! In this concert MUSA takes us on a journey to explore the dynamic and complex cultural exchanges between Western Europe and China in the 17th and 18th centuries. Works performed will include a violin sonata written by the missionary Teodorico Pedrini and some transcriptions of Chinese tunes by Western composers.
Fifth Street Farms has been presenting house concerts in Berkeley for over twenty years. Reservations are required and can be made online at www.fifthstfarms.com/reservations. The cost is $20 per person, paid at the door. All proceeds go to the musicians. Doors open at 7pm, concert at 7:30. Guests are welcome to bring snacks or drinks to share. There’s a terrace (weather permitting) for mingling before and after concerts and during intermission. Visit www.fifthstfarms.com for more information.

MusicSources presents Guy Whatley, virginals & chamber organOriginally from Wales, Guy Whatley is now based in Arizona and is a leading authority on music of the Tudor Era. He will present to us a feast of English music from the 17th century, played on instruments from the MusicSources Collection.

Stanford Department of MusicHANDELPALOOZA! Stanford Faculty Anthony Martin, Owen Dalby, Herb Myers, Elaine Thornburgh, Robert Huw Morgan, and guests play concerti and chamber works and a suite from the Water Music by George Frideric Handel

SFEMS presents Musicians from the Valley of the Moon Music Festival“The Multifaceted Brahms” Musicians from the Valley of the Moon Music Festival offer a riveting look at Brahms from three different angles—from the highly refined and exquisite Horn Trio written for natural horn, to the sublime songs for contralto, viola and piano, to the winning and show-stopping Piano Quartet in G Minor. The group will perform on historical instruments, including an original Viennese fortepiano from 1841. Take advantage of this extremely rare opportunity to hear the transparency of Brahms’ contrapuntal lines come through clearly and beautifully, in a performance featuring some of the country’s leading chamber musicians: Emily Marvosh, contralto; Sadie Glass, natural horn; Bettina Mussumeli and Owen Dalby violins; Jodi Levitz, viola; Tanya Tomkins, cello; and Eric Zivian, fortepiano. Read more . . .

San Francisco Renaissance Voices — C A N C E L E D —Spring Tea & Champagne Gala Fundraiser with author Catherine Clover Is there anything nicer than a cup of tea (or a glass of champagne?) in the afternoon? Why yes!—enjoying that beverage with conversation and a reading from her best-selling book by internationally-renowned author Catherine Clover! Catherine’s interest in medieval history began at the age of 8 when she was given her first book on medieval knights and castles. From that young age, she was keen to learn more about castles and the lives of those who lived in and around them. This passion led her to complete her doctoral degree from Trinity College, Oxford, on the fortifications of English Gascony at the end of the Hundred Years War, and subsequently gave root to the creation of The Chronicles of Divine Love trilogy, of which her recently published The Templar’s Garden is the first in the series.There is an accompanying CD to her book, Like as the Hart—Music for The Templar’s Garden, a compilation of settings of Psalm 42 (Like as the hart desireth the waterbrooks so longeth my soul after thee, O God) produced by Catherine and sung by the Choir of New College Oxford, under the direction of Robert Quinney. Composers on the recording include Ockeghem, Palestrina, Tallis, Tavener, Schütz, Buxtehude, Handel, and Howells. The album’s first release was on the Novum record label and it remained in the UK Specialist Classical Music chart for 13 weeks after its release in June 2017. Want to get a copy of Catherine’s book and/or CD? If you shop Amazon using their SMILE! option your purchase is an added benefit to San Francisco Renaissance Voices. Just CLICK HERE to be redirected to Amazon.com, choose us as your selected charity, shop as you normally would, and Amazon donates a portion of your purchase price (on this or anything your purchase through Amazon during the year) to San Francisco Renaissance Voices with no additional cost to you or us! Seating for this event is limited so early pre-purchase of your admission is strongly suggested.

Sunday, March 17

Cantata CollectiveSan Francisco Bay Area’s only professional Ensemble dedicated solely to the performance of the Cantatas of J.S. Bach proudly invites you to their next concert, featuring Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin, BWV 125; and Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV 78. With soloists Robin Bier, alto; Michael Jankosky, tenor; Ben Kazez, bass; and the Pacific BoyChoir, Andrew Brown, Director. Instrumentalists inculde Lars Johanneson, flauto traverso; Marc Schachman and Michael Dupree, oboes; Kati Kyme and Lisa Weiss, violins; Anthony Martin, viola; William Skeen, cello; Kristin Zoernig, bass; and Katherine Heater, organ. Cantata Collective aims to present the Bach cantatas free to the public, as the equivalent of a World Heritage Site, a collection of masterworks belonging to all people. Bach’s greatest body of work will be heard as vocal chamber music featuring local and internationally recognized artists. Further performances will take place in February, March, and April. Although admission to the concerts is free, membership in the Collective will be offered so that listeners and performers may join together to make this music available to all.